Back · Bodyweight
Standing Scapular Press
How to do the standing scapular press, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- HorizontalPush
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Stand tall with your arms in front of you or overhead. Without bending your elbows, push your shoulder blades forward and apart to protract them, then pull them back together. The movement is small and comes only from the shoulder blades sliding on your ribcage.
- 1Shoulder blades sliding apart and together around your ribcage
- 2The serratus and mid-back muscles doing the work, not your arms
- 3A small, controlled range driven only from the scapula
Common mistakes
- Bending your elbows to fake the movement
- Shrugging your shoulders up toward your ears
- Rushing through reps instead of feeling each one
Muscles worked
The standing scapular press mainly works the mid traps, with the lower traps, lats, upper traps, and front delts assisting.
- Mid TrapsPrimary
- Lower TrapsSupport
- LatsSupport
- Upper TrapsSupport
- Front DeltsSupport
- TricepsMinor
- ForearmsMinor
- Mid ChestMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
- Side DeltsMinor
- Rear DeltsMinor
- External RotatorsMinor
- Internal RotatorsMinor
Kovo programs the standing scapular press for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More back exercises
- How to do the archer pull-up
- How to do the resistance band assisted pull-up
- How to do the machine assisted pull-up
- How to do the back extension bench back extension
- How to do the machine back extension
- How to do the back lever
Last reviewed June 2026.